Ethiopia situation update (28 May 2025)

Battles taper off in Amhara after late March surge

From 10 to 23 May, ACLED records 12 battles between government forces and Fano militias in the Amhara region, most of them in the West Gojam zone, continuing a downward trend in confrontations that began at the beginning of April. The decline follows a surge in battles that began on 19 March when four Fano militias — Amhara Fano in Gondar, Shewa, Gojam, and Wello — announced the start of a coordinated operation called Andinet (Amharic for “unity”) targeting security forces’ bases in Amhara. From 19 to 31 March, ACLED records 88 battle events between Fano militias and government forces. The decline that began in April may be linked to the internal strife among Fano militias that led to the killing of a prominent Fano leader on 11 April.  

Since the Fano insurgency began in August 2023, the intensity of the conflict has been characterized by short peaks in violence that tend to be linked to rounds of operations conducted by the conflicting parties, coupled with the political environment in the region. For example, when the government announced another round of operations against Fano militias in October 2024, the number of battles increased by 35% compared to the previous month and then decreased again in December by over 40%. 

Violence reignites in the Zeyise community in South Ethiopia 

On 11 May, unidentified gunmen ambushed three patrols carrying South Ethiopia regional police officers in Zeyise Demibele kebele — also known as Hawsha kebele — in Arba Minch Zuria woreda, Gamo zone. Police officers were transporting food to the security forces on duty. One anti-riot police officer was killed, and at least four other regional police officers were injured. The attack could be connected to the Zeyise community’s request for self-administration. Members of the Zeyise community residing in the area want to separate from the Gamo zone and establish their own special woreda, granting them the same status as a zone. The special woreda status would allow the community to answer directly to the regional administration instead of zone-level administration. 

Following the 11 May ambush, local security forces launched an operation that resulted in at least five reported fatalities. On the following two days, security forces reportedly killed three civilians, injured an unidentified number of people, and burned and destroyed several houses in Zeyise Demibele kebele. In Zeyise Elgo kebele, regional security forces beat and detained an unspecified number of Protestant worshipers who were mostly from the Zeyise ethnic group at Mulu Wengel Church. Due to the unrest in these kebeles, residents stayed home for days in fear of the violence.¹Telegram, @tikvahethiopia, 20 May 2025 (Amharic) On 18 May, the anti-riot police of the South Ethiopia regional state shot and killed two ethnic Zeyise farmers in Zeyise Demibele kebele who ventured outside their home to search for missing cattle. Meanwhile, the Gamo zone police said no fatalities occurred during the operation, which they called “an operation to capture bandits.”²Telegram, @tikvahethiopia, 20 May 2025 (Amharic) 

In response, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Zeyise accused security forces of frequently targeting the ethnic group. He said that since the community had requested self-administration and elected the Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (EZEMA) party — an opposition party — as its representative, it has been facing severe treatment from security forces.³Telegram, @tikvahethiopia, 17 May 202 (Amharic) 

ACLED records events linked to self-administration in Arba Minch Zuria woreda and around Arba Minch city since 2023. The May incidents represent the second wave of violence reported in 2025. The first incident of the year occurred on 29 March, when an armed group demanding special woreda status for the Zeyise ethnic group set fire to a house belonging to a kebele militia member, reportedly killing two children from the same family in Wezeqa kebele in Arba Minch Zuria woreda. Other family members, including a member of the militia, escaped the assault. The assailants also fired several bullets into another house owned by a woreda official, causing minor damage to the house. Gamo Zone Police and South Ethiopia State Police arrested one suspect. Local officials said that the perpetrators were members of the EZEMA party, which had promised to secure special woreda status for the community during the last general election in 2021. EZEMA denied the allegation, accusing the local officials of defamation and of harassing the Zeyise community for electing the party.⁴Shewangizaw Wegayew, Eshete Bekele, and Shewaye Legese, “Why did the horrific murder of children in Gamo Zone cause accusations between EZEMA and the local authorities?” Deutche Welle Amharic, 31 March 2025 (Amharic)

South Tigray zone residents protest against the TPLF

Residents of South Tigray have held at least six protests since 15 May opposing Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) plans to change the administration of the zone. Demonstrations follow comments by the TPLF president made during an interview on YouTube, revealing the plan to change the zone’s administrative leadership. These protests took place in Maychew, Mehoni, Korem, Ambalage, and Chercher towns. The protesters echoed slogans such as “our choice is peace,” “we don’t tolerate the TPLF’s divisive plan to dismantle the current arrangement,” “we do not accept authoritarianism,” “respect law and order,” and “the right to self-governance should be respected.” 

The protesters also called for the new interim administration of Tigray to be inclusive and participatory. Opposition parties and many others accuse the new interim administration of being exclusive and dominated by the TPLF. On 8 April, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appointed a new president, General Tadese Werede, to lead the Interim Regional Administration of Tigray for the next year. This appointment came after the internal rift within the TPLF escalated in mid-March. The rift unfolded between two factions — one led by TPLF President Debretsion Gebremichael, and the other by TPLF spokesperson and former Interim President Getachew Reda — leading to the local forces aligned with the TPLF president forcefully taking over local administrations, reportedly, in all zones except South Tigray. South Tigray zone is the birthplace of Getachew, who is currently appointed as an adviser to the prime minister for East African affairs.⁵Facebook @PMOEthiopia, 11 April 2025 (Amharic) Additionally, parts of this zone — Raya-Azebo and Alamata woredas — are disputed territories between Tigray and Amhara.